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Abraham Ortelius is perhaps the best known and most frequently collected of all sixteenth-century mapmakers. Ortelius started his career as a map colorist. In 1547 he entered the Antwerp guild of St Luke as afsetter van Karten. His early career was as a business man, and most of his journeys before 1560, were for commercial purposes. In 1560, while traveling with Gerard Mercator to Trier, Lorraine, and Poitiers, he seems to have been attracted, largely by Mercator’s influence, towards a career as a scientific geographer. From that point forward, he devoted himself to the compilation of his Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Theatre of the World), which would become the first modern atlas.

In 1564 he completed his “mappemonde", an eight-sheet map of the world. The only extant copy of this great map is in the library of the University of Basel. Ortelius also published a map of Egypt in 1565, a plan of Brittenburg Castle on the coast of the Netherlands, and a map of Asia, prior to 1570.

On May 20, 1570, Ortelius’ Theatrum Orbis Terrarum first appeared in an edition of 70 maps. By the time of his death in 1598, a total of 25 editions were published including editions in Latin, Italian, German, French, and Dutch. Later editions would also be issued in Spanish and English by Ortelius’ successors, Vrients and Plantin, the former adding a number of maps to the atlas, the final edition of which was issued in 1612. Most of the maps in Ortelius' Theatrum were drawn from the works of a number of other mapmakers from around the world; a list of 87 authors is given by Ortelius himself

In 1573, Ortelius published seventeen supplementary maps under the title of Additamentum Theatri Orbis Terrarum. In 1575 he was appointed geographer to the king of Spain, Philip II, on the recommendation of Arias Montanus, who vouched for his orthodoxy (his family, as early as 1535, had fallen under suspicion of Protestantism). In 1578 he laid the basis of a critical treatment of ancient geography with his Synonymia geographica (issued by the Plantin press at Antwerp and republished as Thesaurus geographicus in 1596). In 1584 he issued his Nomenclator Ptolemaicus, a Parergon (a series of maps illustrating ancient history, sacred and secular). Late in life, he also aided Welser in his edition of the Peutinger Table (1598).

Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1595
Size:
20 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
82555
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1624 circa
Size:
14 x 10.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
56161
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1587
Size:
20 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
75388
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1588
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
99054
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1624
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
84009
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1598
Size:
18 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
84003
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1598
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
62077
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1584
Size:
19 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
89503
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1624
Size:
19 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
87934
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1609
Size:
19 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
100508
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1608
Size:
22.5 x 17 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
75016
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1624
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
79374
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1608 circa
Size:
19.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
82512
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1603
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
87946
Place/Date:
Italy / 1598 circa
Size:
4 x 4.5 inches (Including text)
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
73790
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1572
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
99866
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1603
Size:
19.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
91101
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1598
Size:
20 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
91154
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1603
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
65005
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1588
Size:
19 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
99075
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1579
Size:
20 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
85794
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1624
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
79377
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1608
Size:
19 x 15 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
69023
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1584
Size:
20 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
92325
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1624
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
86394
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1624
Size:
19.5 x 15.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
76034
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1603
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
87938
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1581
Size:
17.5 x 12.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
44739
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1603
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
84462
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1584
Size:
17.5 x 12.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58472
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1624
Size:
18.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
76022
Place/Date:
Italy / 1655 circa
Size:
4 x 3 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
68241
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1592 circa
Size:
20 x 15 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89649
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1603
Size:
19.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
87991
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1603
Size:
19.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
94423
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1603
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
87921
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1603
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
63733

Archived

Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1587
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
19972
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1587
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
19972ll
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1587
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
23444
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1589
Size:
19 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
71277
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1571
Size:
19.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
86370
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1608
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
32349bpw
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1572
Size:
19.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
95543
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1592
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
0023BJ
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1592
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
10233
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1579
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
10589
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1579
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
10760
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1589
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
14787
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1575
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
4372
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1575
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
5960
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1603
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
9085
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1575
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
9671
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1592
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
9931
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1584
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
16042
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1598
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
17996
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1592
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
18503
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1584
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
18580
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1601
Size:
5 x 3.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
18752
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1592
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
0016em
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1595
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
39373mp2
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1573
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
23202
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1572
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
0141ops
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1581
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
25585
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1581
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
25828
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1602
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG-
Stock#:
33790
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1572
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
34976
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1574
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
38109
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1571
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
35529
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1601 circa
Size:
5 x 3.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
36122
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1601 circa
Size:
5 x 3.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
36687
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1572 circa
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
37302
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1579
Size:
20 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
40763
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1584
Size:
20 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
41370
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1581
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
42800
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1592
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
43129
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1598
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
51516
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1581
Size:
20 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
45754
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1587
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
46796a
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1595
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
48388
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1579
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
Good
Stock#:
57982
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1571
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
53253
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1579
Size:
20 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
45897e
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1581
Size:
19.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
53242
Place/Date:
Antwerp /
Size:
20 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
55232
Place/Date:
Antwerp / 1579
Size:
20 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
55245hb